The bomb squad evacuated buildings after being called out to defuse"¦ Monty Python's Holy Hand Grenade Of Antioch.
Police and firefighters also sped to the scene after water company workers found a "˜suspicious object' under a fire hydrant cover.
But about an hour later, the bomb squad declared all was safe "“ after discovering the "˜device' was a copy of the prop from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. In the 1975 film, the grenade was used to destroy a killer rabbit with big pointy teeth.
Publican Alberto Romanelli said last Thursday's scare in the City of London was "˜one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen"¦ I lost a good hour's worth of business.'
Toy Holy Hand Grenades are widely available on the internet, either as collector's toys or as "˜danglers' to hang over a car's rear-view mirror, like furry dice.
Michael Palin told the Islington Gazette: "˜Our Holy Hand Grenade was fictional... We don't want to add to the armaments of the world.'
